NEWARK – Larry Efaw has fond memories of playing at Flowers Hall in Hanover at concerts organized by Chester Flowers.

So the northeast Ohio musician didn’t hesitate when he was invited to bring his band, The Bluegrass Mountaineers, to Newark to play in Flowers’ latest festival this weekend.

“I’ve know Chester for years and years,” Efaw said. “I told him, ‘We’d love to come down and be part of the festival.’”

The Bluegrass Mountaineers is one of nine bands performing this weekend at The Bluegrass Connection Indoor Music Festival at Crossroads Christian Church in Newark. Three bands will perform Friday night starting at 6 p.m. and six bands will perform Saturday starting at noon.

Flowers, 87, has been organizing bluegrass concerts and jam sessions for more than 40 years. For decades, he owned Flowers Hall, now called the Events Center, at 344 Darla Drive, and held concerts and square dances with help from his family.

Although he had to sell Flowers Hall for health reasons, he’s still booking concerts and promoting local bands.

For several years, he organized outdoor concerts at Flint Ridge, but rainy weather made things difficult.

Flowers said he decided to try planning an indoor music festival instead.

With his many connections in the bluegrass world, Flowers was able to work with promoter Stacey Wright to bring back some old friends for the festival.

Kevin Prater, leader of The Kevin Prater Band, played for Flowers in the late 1990s.

“Chester has always promoted some good shows as far as bluegrass is concerned, we’ve known each other a long time,” he said. “He’s really been good to my band.”

Prater said he’s looking forward to playing for a Licking County audience again.

“I always look forward to coming up to that area to play music, some of my greatest fans are in Ohio,” he said.

Efaw, whose band performs frequently in Canada and New England, said he’s also looking forward to coming back to Newark.

“We love our bluegrass family and that’s what it is, it becomes your family, everywhere you go,” he said.

Those coming to the show will get the change to experience family entertainment from a variety of groups, Efaw said.

“We want to leave them where they are wanting more,” he said. “We try to make it so our show isn’t the same every time you see us.”

Flowers said he hopes the audience enjoys the music and learns more about local bands.

“I enjoy gospel and bluegrass music and if it wasn’t for that, it would be a lot duller of a world,” he said. “It’s inspiring to the soul and we’ve got to keep it going.”

ajeffries@newarkadvocate.com

740-328-8544

Twitter: @amsjeffries

If You Go

What: The Bluegrass Connection Indoor Music Festival

When: 6 to 11 p.m. Friday and noon to 7 p.m. Saturday

Where: Crossroads Christian Church, 11784 Marne Road, Newark

Cost: $14 at the door Friday, $20 at the door Saturday

More info: There are no overnight camping facilities available. There will be a golf cart raffle. For information about tickets call 740-877-4098.

Concert line up

Friday:

Sugar Creek Bluegrass

The Kevin Prater Band

Cedar Hill Bluegrass Boys

Saturday:

The Bluegrass Mountaineers

Idletymes

• The Kevin Prater Band

Chestnut Ridge

The Hart Brothers

• Northwest Territory

About this series:

This year, The Advocate will be taking a closer look at bluegrass music in Licking County through “Grass Roots,” a series of stories that will focus on the people, places and events that strengthen the local bluegrass community.

Reporter Anna Jeffries will be on the lookout for bluegrass stories that need to be told and interesting ways to share them. Send your ideas and suggestions to ajeffries@ newarkadvocate.com or call 740-328-8544.